Spotlight



Patented Feb. 13, 1923.

unira` stares arent etnica.

\, ARTHUR L. STAPLES, 0F NEW HAVEN, CYONNECTICUT, SSIGNOR T0 WINCHESTER REPEATINGARMS COMPANY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF Y A CONNECTICUT.

SPOTIIGHT.

Application filed October 24, 1921. Serial No. 509,885.

T 0 all u'zom. t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ARTHUR'L. STAPLES, a citizen of the United States,lresiding at New Haven,l in the county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spotlights; and I do hereby decla-re the following to be a full. clear, and exact description of the invention(` such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.'

Thev present invention relatesl to battery hand lamps of the type wherein the character of the beam of light can be. altered by varying the rela-tive position of the lamp and reiector. l

'It is anV object of 'the present invention to provide a hand lamp in which the battery and reflector have substantially fixed positions in the casing and in which the desired change in the character of the beam of light delivered by the hand lamp is effected by shifting the lamp bulb with respect to the battery and reflector.

It is a further object of the invention to protect the inner and fragile terminal of the lamp from the forward thrust and from destructive impact of the upper battery terminal. to provide for ready renewal of the lamp. to provide for easy access tov various parts of the hand lamp mechanism, to insure against short-circuiting of the battery and inadvertent lighting of the lamp, and to secure other advantages as hereinafter pointed out more at length. y

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a sectional elevation of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section of the same embodiment; f f' Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. -1 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section of the front end of the casing showing` slots for the adjusting cross-bar;

w Figs. 6, 7 and S are supporting mechanism.

In the embodiment illustrated. the hand lamp comprises a casing 1 of insulating material such a` fiber. in which are a plurality of dry cells 2 placed end to end in a pasteboard carton in conformity with usual practice.

details ofthe lamp- The naked bottom of thelowermost dry cell rests on and Vmakes elec-` trical connection with av coiled spring 3 carried by a metal bottom cap 4 threaded to a collar 5 on casing 1. A metal strip 6 connects collar 5 with a switch housing 7 in conformity with usual practice. At the opposite or front end of casing 1 is a flaring metal head 8 fastened to the fiber casing by rivets 9 and having its front portion thread- -ed to receive a. lens-supporting ring 10. A

reiiector 11, substantially parabolic in outline. has its outer flange gripped between collar .10 and the front edge of head 8 so that the reflector is clamped in fixed relation to the casing. lf

Coiled spring 3 holds the battery of dry cells with yielding pressureagainst an abutment consisting of a metal shell or bridge 12 (Fig. 3). rIhe ends or outer edges of the metal shell are turned up, as shown in Fig. 8, 'to form ears through which are passed rivets 13 to hold the bridge in rigid relation to casing 1. A` washer let of insulating material is preferably used to hold the upper zinc edge of the battery out of electrical contact with bridge 12. At the center of this bridge or abutment and preferably integral therewith is a cylinder 15 which serves as a guide for a movable lamp support. 'Y rIhe lamp support comprises a plunger 16 of insulating material, cylindrical in form and movable up and down in lamp support is threaded to act as a. socket for an incandescent lamp. rI`his lamp canadvantageously be of the type wherein the light-giving filament is concentrated within a small area. Plunger 16 has a cent-ral hole in which is housed a coiled spring 17, the upper end of which makes connection with and is held in place by an eyelet 18 and the lower end yof which makes yielding contact with the upper terminal 19 of the dry battery. A metal collar 20 is slipped over the upper reduced end of plunger 16 and has an integral llinger 21 (Figs. 4 and 6) struck up therefrom which passes through a slot 22 and makes electrical connection with th(` threaded terminal of the lamp. Integral with this collar is a lug 23, the outer edge ofwhich makes electrical connection with the front yielding end lof a. stationary form a finger' 26 which protrudes through a.

' slot in the fiber casing and forms one of the contacts of the switch mec lanism by `which the flow 'of battery current to the lamp bulb is controlled. rllhe other switch element is a flexible leaf spring 27 'fastened to housing 7 by a rivet 28 and having ai thumb pan or push button 29 by which it can be manipulated. Other forms of switch mechanism can be used in place of that shown in the drawing.

With the arrangement above described,

the battery circuit is from battery terminal 19 through spring 17 and eyelet 18 to the inner terminal of the lamp, then through the lamp tofinger 21 (Fig. 4), and then through collar 20, lug 23, strip 24. finger 26,

spring 27, housing 7, conductor (3', collar 5,4 cap 4, and spring 3 to the other terminal of the battery. l I

To provide for changes in the character of the beam of li ht projected by the incandescent lamp tiro-ugh the lens or glass 30 at the front end of the casing, there is provided a sleeve 31 threaded to the lower portion of head 8 and having an annular groove in whichis received the ends of la cross-bar 32. This cross-bar 32 lits in a` groove 33 (F ig. 7) ofplunger 16 so that on rotation of the adjusting sleeve 31 the bar willV move longitudinallylof the. casing in slots 34 and 35 and thus will raise or lower plunger 16 and the lamp carried thereby. Spring 17 will expand or contract as occ-asion may require to maintainjelectrical connection between the stationary battery terminal 19 and the inner terminal ofthe lamp bulb. Similarly, lug 23 by sliding along the yielding end of strip 24wil1 maintain electrical connect-ion to the outer terminal of the lamp. Upward movement of cross-bar 32 lis limited by its engagement with the lower edge of head 8 and downward movement is limited by engagementot' the bar with the bottom ends of slots 34 and 35.

The opening in reflector 11 is large enough to permit free sliding lmovement there-r through of plunger 16'so that by simplyy Y abutment by coiled. spring 3.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the casing is of insulating material, but the present invention is applicable to metal casings by merely insulating conductor 24 from the casing in known manner. rlhe battery is well protected against short-circuit, and inadvertent lighting of the lamp will not oc- ;,whole has many advantages that. will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

- my invention as defined by the appended 1in arranged co-axially thereof, a fixed 'abutcur when the hand lamp is laid on a met-al surface or placed among metal. tools. The inner lamp terminal'is protected from destructive pressure and the hand lamp as a.

Changes in structural details and in the arrangement of the. several parts may be made without departing from the spirit of claims.

l.' claim z- 1. ln a tubular hand lamp, the combina.- l tion of a casing, a battery and a lamp therein arranged co-aXiaIly thereof, a fixed abutment for the fro-nt end of said battery, a reflector 'for said lamp, and screw threaded means adapted to beV turned by hand for positively moving said. lamp at will with respect to said abut-ment and reflector to change thel spread of the beam of light delivered by said hand lamp'.

2. ln a tubular hand lamp. the combination ot a casing, a. battery and a lamp therel ment for the front end of said battery. a reflector for said lamp, and means threaded to said casing for moving said lamp with respect to lsaid abutment. to change the spread of the beam of light delivered by said hand lamp. l

3. In a. hand lam'p, the combination of a casing, a battery and a. lamp. therein. a fixedV abutment for the front end of said battery,

a reflector for said lamp, an adjusting sleeve encircling the front end of said casing, and means actuatedvby said sleeve for moving said lamp` with respect to said reflector to change the spread ofthe beam of light delivered by said hand lamp. 4. lln a hand lamp. the combination of a casing, 'a battery and a reflector therein, v a fixed abutment `for said battery, a lamp support mounted to slide in said abutment, a lampca'rried by said support, and means on 11o said casing for sliding said support in said abutment to move said lamp with respect to said reflector.

5. ln a hand lamp, the combination of a casing. a battery and a. reflector therein, a fixed abutment for said battery, said abutment having a tubular extension, a lamp support mounted to slide in said tubular extension, a lamp carried by said support, an adjusting sleeve encircling said casing, and meansl actuated by said sleeve for moving Y said lamp support in saidA abutment. to change the spread of the beam of light delivered by said hand lamp.'

6. ln a hand lamp, the combina-tion of'a 125 casing,.a. battery and a reflector therein. an y abutmentfor. said battery, al lamp support mount-ed to slide in said abutment, a lamp carried by said support. an adjusting sleeve encircling the front end of said casing, and

a cross-bar actuated by said sleeve and operatively engaging said lamp support to move the -saine axially ofthe hand lamp when said sleeve is adjusted.

7. In a hand lamp, thecombination of a casing, a battery therein, a battery abutment secured to lsaid casing, a spring holding said battery against said abutment, a metal head attached to the front end of said casing, a lens and a reflector secured to the front end of said head, a lamp support mounted to slide in said abutment, a.v lamp carried by said support, a threaded adjusting sleeve, anda cross-bar actuated by said adjusting sleeve and operative to move said support to change the character of the beam of light delivered by said hand lamp.

8. In a hand lamp, the combination of .a casing, a battery therein, a battery abutment secured to said casing, a spring holding said battery against said abutment. a metal head attached to the frontend of said casing, a lens and a reflector secured to the front end of said head, a lamp support of insulating material mounted to slide in said abutment, a lamp carried by said support-,`

an adjusting sleeve threaded to said metal head, means connecting said adjusting sleeve with said lamp support'to move said lamp support and thereby change the character of the beam of light delivered by said hand lamp, and means for maintaining electrical connection with said lamp during adjustment of said sleeve. l

9. In a hand lamp, the combination of a casing, a battery therein, a fixed battery abutment secured to said casing and having a tubular extension a closure vfor the rear end 0f said casing, a spring carried by said closure and holding said bat-te against said abutment, a metal head attached to the front end of said casing, a lens and a reflector secured t0 the front end of said head, a lamp support of insulating material .mounted to slide in the tubular extension of said abutment, a lamp threaded into said support, an adjusting sleeve threaded to said metal head, a cross-bar actuated by said adjusting-"sleeve and operative to move said support axially of saidv hand lamp and thereby change the character of the beam of light delivered by said hand lamp, and means for maintaining electrical connection with said lamp during adjustment of said sleeve.

. 10. In a hand lamp,the combination of a cas- I ing, a battery therein, a fixed battery abutment secured to said casing and having a tubular extension, a closure for the rear end of said casing, a spring carried by said closure and holding said battery against said abutment, a flaring metal head rigidly attached to the front end of said casing, a "lens holder threaded to said head, a refiector clamped betweensaid lens holder and the end'ofl said head, a cylindrical lamp support of insulating material mounted to slide in t-he tubular extension of said abutment, a lam carried by said support, an adjusting s eeve encirclingthe front end of said casing and threaded to saidflaring metal head` a crossbar actuated by said adjusting sleeve, said bar fitting in a slot in said lamp support and being operative to move said support axially of said hand lamp and thereby change the-character of the beam of light delivered by said hand lamp, andmeans for `maintaining electrical connection with said lamp during said adjustments.

`11. In a hand lamp, the combination of a casing, a battery therein, a fixed battery abutment secured to said casing and having a tubular extension, a closure for the rearterminal, a lug`on said collar, a conductor.

yieldingly bearing on said lug, switch mechanism between sald conductor and said closure spring, an adjusting sleeve threaded to saidflaring metal head, a cross-bar actuated by said adjusting sleeve, said bar fitting in a slot in said llamp support and being operative to move said support axially of said hand lamp and thereby change the character of the beam of light delivered by said hand lamp, and a coiled springl positioned cen-. trally in said insulating lamp support and said lamp and said battery.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ARTHUR L. STAPLES.

4maintaining electrical connection between 

